(252794) Maironis Main-belt Asteroid
Discovered on 16 March 2002 by Cernis, K., Zdanavicius, J. at Moletai.
Maironis, pseudonym of Jonas Mačiulis (1862-1932), is one of the most famous Lithuanian romantic poets. As a Roman Catholic priest, he served as rector of the seminary in Kaunas until 1922, when he was elected professor of moral theology at the Kaunas University.Naming citation (WGSBN Bull. 2, #9, 7), IAU / Minor Planet Center, via NASA/JPL
Where Maironis is today
Seen from above the solar system on 2026-10-14: Maironis is 3.51 au from the Sun and 2.84 au from Earth. Computed from JPL's orbital elements.
Facts
| Number | 252794 |
| Provisional designation | 2002 FL7 |
| Orbit class | Main-belt Asteroid |
| Absolute magnitude (H) | 15.26 |
| Orbital period | 5.56 years |
| Semi-major axis | 3.14 au |
| Perihelion – aphelion | 2.66 – 3.62 au |
| Eccentricity | 0.151 |
| Inclination | 17.5° |
| Closest distance between its orbit and Earth's (MOID) | 1.67 au |
Data: NASA/JPL Small-Body Database and the IAU Minor Planet Center.
Also named after someone called Jonas
All asteroids named after someone called Jonas
Also discovered on 16 March 2002
- (73059) Kaunas
- (95593) Azusienis
- (135561) Tautvaisiene
- (151430) Nemunas
- (169568) Baranauskas
- (237845) Neris
- (286693) Kodaitis